Even after Fiori crumbled, even after his daughter's pack fell, he just continued to keep the Mangrove as his home. This den had been his home for so long that he didn't know where else he might go. He considered moving to The Range since he hadn't noticed any packs there recently and it had been his long time dream to move his family there since it was where he was born. But... something about the Mangroves kept him here. At least for now. Nothing ever felt certain any more. Except Carletta. She was really the only reason that he hadn't given up completely. He hadn't seen any of his children in a while though he was certain that they were okay. He worried for Roza especially, but he hoped that if the time came that any of them needed him they would know where to look. He felt like he was too old to go hunt them all down now. His shoulders and joints ached whenever he didn't use the herbs that Amalia had prescribed so long ago. He stood at the edge of one of the many pools of water that took up the landscape of the mangroves and peered down at his own reflection for a moment. He had been pondering something for a while now... but he hadn't managed to voice it out loud. Thinking about his children and how much he missed having his family around him made his heart ache. He turned away from the water and walked back toward the den with a new certainty. He found Carletta fairly easily and a smile tugged at his lips. He padded over to her and quietly pressed his face into the side of her neck. "Hola cariño," he said softly before he leaned back enough to see her face. "I have something I want to talk to you about." "Talk" "You" Think

Little Spanish Flame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carletta was lying near the den so it was only natural that Leo had been able to find her easily enough. The fall of both Fiori and their neighboring pack of Dragoste troubled her… but what troubled her a touch more was the fact that Alfred still hadn’t returned. The younger wolf was Leo’s son, an aspiring healer, and he was the reason she’d managed to get better… but… she wondered if she was part of the reason why he had disappeared now. No, she chided herself. That was silly. The two things weren’t related. Car was sure she just felt badly that Leo’s children were all gone… and she related to that feeling of an empty nest even though Phoenix and Ash hadn’t been her own. Carletta responded to Leo’s touch in kind, nuzzling against him before he drew back, a small smile touching her face. “You do?” She asked, her ears twitching a little. “Am I in trouble~?” She asked, her English having grown a bit stronger each day though her accent was still plainly obvious. Her words were teasing, however, a light dancing in her blue eyes. The femme rose from her resting position to a sitting one, looking her beloved in the eyes. Whatever down thoughts she’d been having before were scattering; how could one remain down when they were with their love?

Leo chuckled a little and gave a little shake of his head in response to her question. "Of course not, lovely. You could never be in trouble with me." He thought about that statement for a moment and quickly added, "That doesn't mean you should try to be!" with a grin. He could already picture her pushing his buttons and getting on his nerves just to see if she could actually never be in trouble. He laughed a little at the thought and smiled while he looked at her beautiful face with that teasing look in her eyes he loved so much. "No, actually I've been thinking about something... and I wanted to see what you thought about it." He knew she loved children so he didn't think she would really have any real objections... but he wasn't exactly young any more. Life had not been kind to his body and it was showing more and more. Leo worried that wanting more children now was selfish when he wasn't even sure if he could keep up with playing with them or teaching them about hunting and fighting. But what killed him more was the idea that he never got to really have a family with Carletta. That outweighed any fears he might have around having children with her. "I'd like to try to start a family with you. Well... if you agree, of course." His smile grew just at the idea of it. "I don't want to pressure you at all and if you don't feel like now is a good time to do it or whatever then we won't. I just kept thinking about having children with you and... and getting a second chance at having a real family." The empty nest syndrome had hit him hard. He never thought he would love someone like this again or have any more children after Svetlana disappeared, but now that the impossible had happened he had hope. "Talk" "You" Think

Carletta let out a little laugh at Leo’s response. He had missed her intention of the words at first, but he was quick to add something to show he understood. The female felt happy; even if there was no longer a Fiori, a pack for them to be in, she felt happy just being by Leo’s side.

The monochrome female canted her head to the side though when Leo said he’d been thinking about something and wanted to see what her thoughts were on the subject. The female gave a small nod, her gaze turning gentle. “We’d talk about anything, Leo. Anything you want.” The female was smiling, though she wasn’t exactly prepared for Leo’s next statement.

But that didn’t mean it didn’t make her endlessly happy. She had to hold back from leaping upon her beloved, her tail starting to wag a mile a minute. “A new familia…” Tears began forming in her eyes, though they were the happy sort. “Of course I want a family with you. Nothing could make me happier.” Excitement was pulsing through her as she nuzzled the handsome male.

“...now~” She added, her own grin widening as far as it possibly could. In her mind’s eye she could already imagine the combination of her and Leo’s coats on little ones… the small children that they could have. It would be her first litter… and possibly her last that she birthed herself. But they’d be such special children… children of love.

The second that he saw the excitement in her face and heard her agree to his proposition a hope and an excitement he hadn't felt in years filled him up. His tail wagged just as fast as hers as he searched for any hint of uncertainty in her eyes until the disbelief in his head finally passed. He returned her nuzzles and just smiled. After going so long without a mate it had been hard to believe that he could love or be loved again and now that he had accepted that he had to believe that Carletta would actually want to start a family with him despite the fact that he was older and they really had no firm plans or home. They had love and for now that seemed to be more than enough. He grinned as well at her insistence that they start now. "You don't have to tell me twice..." he said softly as he leaned into her, pressing his face into the curve of her neck and nuzzling into her fur. There were so many little concerns nagging at the back of his mind. Where would they raise them? Would be be around to see them have their own children? Would his older children get to meet them? For now he shoved all those thoughts away and just focused on this moment and enjoying being with his mate. Things would work themselves out, there was no reason to stress over it now. He gently licked her cheek and lead the way back into the den while he began to imagine what their future children would look like. - fade to black - "Talk" "You" Think